1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to generally a device for automatically retracting and winding a seat belt, and more particularly to such a device comprising a mechanism for controlling the winding and rewinding force imparted to the seat belt, thereby permitting the free but safe movement of a driver or an occupant without causing any excessive unpleasant feeling even when the seat belt is fastened, and ensuring the positive retraction of the seat belt when the latter is unfastened.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
In general, the prior art seat belt retracting and winding devices or retractors are provided with spiral spring means having its one end anchored to the shaft of a winding reel and its the other end securely attached to the main body or frame of the retractor in order to retract the seat belt and rewind it around the winding reel or shaft, and in order to relax the restraining force on a driver or an occupant an attempt has been made to reduce the force of the spring means, but the result was disadvantageous in that the seat belt could not be completely retracted and wound around the winding reel when the seat belt was unfastened.
In order to solve this problem, we had already proposed an improved seat belt retracting and winding device in our previous patent application, Ser. No. 787,534 which is a continuation of Ser. No. 656,850, filed on Feb. 10, 1976, now abandoned but we found out that some improvements on this device were required from the standpoint of assembly thereof.